


relief

by sugacookiies



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Angst to Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Post Timeskip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:27:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugacookiies/pseuds/sugacookiies
Summary: after being with hanamaki takahiro, you realise the red flags in your previous relationship with matsukawa issei.
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro/Reader, Matsukawa Issei/Reader
Kudos: 40





	1. part one

**Author's Note:**

> ᴀ/ɴ: thank you to beri for planting this seed in my head and helping me grow this idea  
> ʙᴇᴛᴀꜱ: @pyblos @kontj  
> ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: guilt tripping, alcohol use, implied sex, breakup

“maybe if i don’t think about it, then it’ll be all okay,” you breathe, your wine glass empty.

your best friend sits next to you. her hand rubs your back in small circles, as if that alone can soothe the turmoil that plagues you. your shoulders shudder with each sob and your sleeve is damp with tears.

it doesn’t dry that night, until you toss it into the washer when you’re back home.

routine drives you and matsukawa’s relationship. you wake up, eat breakfast, part ways for work. you come home, cook dinner, maybe have sex, and go to sleep. maybe that’s what matsukawa likes about you - that you don’t complain, that you aren’t trouble for him to deal with.

the few times that matsukawa breaks the routine is when he brings his work home. your lips are forced to curve into a sweet smile, your laugh lighter than before, as he presses a gentle kiss to your forehead. your body tenses as he delays the decomposition of your relationship. 

but despite his vague attempts, all things break down with time. issues that had settled like dust become more apparent, and fights are commonplace. matsukawa hates the blaming, hates the anger (and guilt) that flushes his chest. things often end with you on the sofa, with balls of tissue accompanying your restless sleep.

everything comes to a close that one night.

“why don’t you change yourself, then? i work hard to make sure you can enjoy yourself. do i need to do more?”

matsukawa’s raised voice pounds in your head. he paces about your living room, hands gesturing wildly about as he rants. your fists tremble, and your nails dig half moons into your palms.

“why didn’t you just bring things up earlier when we could have fixed them? don’t you love me anymore?”

he punctuates his questions with a crude stab of his finger into the air. his hands settle into the crooks of his elbows, struggling to reign the situation in.

“i did, i did. i loved you, issei,” you cry, forcing your aching eyes into your hands. 

the room falls quiet as you sniffle and sob. his hand is warm on your back, rubbing small circles, as if that will do anything to erase all the hurt that you have suffered. he leads you to the bedroom a while after. you wet his shoulder with tears as he buries his face into your neck, his hands holding you together for the last time. 

matsukawa closes the lid on your relationship the next morning. he wakes up to find you gone, breakfast not on the table, your things mostly gathered, and the door locked shut. 

he breathes a sigh of relief.


	2. part two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ᴀ/ɴ: thank you to beri for planting this seed in my head and helping me grow this idea. some quotes taken from life of pi, and one unknown.  
> ʙᴇᴛᴀꜱ: @pyblos @kontj

matsukawa’s never really loved you.

you realise that when you’re in hanamaki’s arms two years later, as he cradles your face tenderly. you can’t help but laugh when he squeezes your cheeks and plants a kiss on the tip of your nose. your heart stirs.

technically, matsukawa wasn’t an ex-boyfriend, but he was an ex-something. an ex-maybe. an ex-almost. 

you ask hanamaki if he would like to stay for dinner. he thinks of the game he’s supposed to play with the boys tonight, the laundry that’s piling up, and the heaviness in his pocket.

he says yes, anyways, because it’s you. because all those other things can wait.

sometimes hanamaki wonders if dating his best friend’s ex-girlfriend is taboo. but matsukawa’s happy with your best friend, so he supposes that the irony cancels it out. often times he’ll see you glance through your instagram feed, only to see matsukawa’s new post of his current girlfriend.

you’ll pause. you’ll like it. you’ll scroll on.

he can’t help but wonder if you’re still in love with matsukawa, because he’s everything hanamaki isn’t. firstly, he’s employed. secondly, he’s sexy and brooding and probably packs it better in the bedroom. thirdly, matsukawa’s… matsukawa.

(when hanamaki asked if you would prefer him with black hair, you laughed so hard at the thought that you nearly spilled your coffee. you told him you’ll love him regardless. 

hanamaki didn’t know how much more of his heart he could give you after that, since you’ve taken everything.)

matsukawa’s water under the bridge, or a coffin in its grave, rather. as you prepare to stir fry some meat, your mind drifts back to him. he’s happier now without you. he smiles more in photos, posts more on instagram, and your best friend won’t stop blabbering about the dozen roses he got her last week.

the corner of matsukawa’s heart that you stayed in was rented out the very day you left. 

you move your spatula in the pan, meat and vegetables sizzling pleasantly. people meet people, and people leave people. you suppose, in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go. your split was inevitable.

hanamaki grins when he enters the kitchen. he helps set the table, and praises you for your cooking. your cheeks warm as he stuffs himself full of food. he even asks for a second bowl of rice, much to your surprise, since he isn’t a big eater. you happily oblige and disappear into the kitchen. 

when you come out, hanamaki’s on one knee. he has a ring pop in a trembling hand. your tears fall into the bowl of steaming rice, and the both of you burst into laughter, even as he stumbles over his words one after the other.

you say yes. 

he slips the real ring onto your finger after, a small diamond glittering under your living room lights. 

hanamaki heaves a sigh of relief, as he presses his lips against your temple, and his hands against your back.


	3. part three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ᴀ/ɴ: this ended up a bit longer than expected, but i hope you like it nonetheless!ヽ(*・ω・)ノ  
> ʙᴇᴛᴀ: @pyblos @kontj

“are you ready?”

looking at yourself in the mirror, you don’t think you will ever be. you nod, anyways, not trusting yourself to speak. your fingers curl a little tighter around the bouquet of white chrysanthemums, queen anne’s lace, and eucalyptus. 

a quiet melody begins to play on the piano. you can hear it from inside the waiting room, and guests begin to shuffle towards their seats. not long after, your group of friends begin their walk down the aisle, paired with hanamaki’s. you spot oikawa, iwaizumi, and of course, matsukawa. 

“it’s your turn now.”

you gulp. your heart trembles in your chest in a fit of anxiety. what if you trip and fall in front of everyone? is your outfit okay? is your hair out of place? you squeeze your eyes shut, and take each step forward slowly. 

everyone’s eyes are on you. more importantly, hanamaki’s are. he stares at you in an indecipherable mix of love, nervousness, and awe. if he asked you to follow him to the ends of the earth there and then, you would have done so without question. 

the music slows to a still when you finally stand with hanamaki under the pink and white floral arch. his hand reaches for yours when you pass your bouquet to your best friend, who brushes away her tears. 

“you look beautiful,” hanamaki whispers, and you smile.

he’s handsome, stunningly so. the evening sunlight makes his pink hair glow evermore brighter, while his ivory suit is tailored to perfection. you will yourself to remember this moment for life.

“and you look like colonel sanders,” you joke back. 

“you’re perfect,” he sighs in reply, but starts laughing.

the crowd chuckles along, while your face grows hot in embarrassment. you look to matsukawa. he wears a black suit like the rest of hanamaki’s entourage, while holding up the wedding prompts. he clears his throat, and begins to speak.

there’s a short bit about how you and hanamaki met, while matsukawa quips at how you’re the only living skeleton in his closet (the seijoh boys groan at his horrible joke). you roll your eyes. he carries on about how you two are perfect for each other, and means every word of it. eventually, however, your best friend comes forward with the wedding bands. they’re simple, just two circles of rose gold lying in the box they came in. you swallow drily.

the wedding vows make you tear up. how can you not, when the love of your life is promising to love you, to care for you, to support and be patient with you, no matter what path you take together? hanamaki pulls out a kfc napkin for you to wipe your tears with. you gently smack his arm, while the crowd howls with laughter.

you giggle behind the napkin, dabbing at your cheeks. oh, how you love him. 

you repeat your own vows in a shaky voice, having to sniffle your way through them while hanamaki bites on his lip in an attempt to stop crying as well. his eyes are raw by the time you’re done talking. 

you take the rings, and slip them onto each other’s fingers. hanamaki misses yours a few times from how hard he’s trembling, but kisses the back of your hand when all is done. your lips quiver. you press them into a straight line as hanamaki looks at you.

you’re gorgeous, and he’s completely smitten by how precious you are. here you stand with him, vowing to pledge your life to his for as long as you live. hanamaki’s eyes well up again.

“i pronounce you two married. you may now kiss your spouse.”

with one hand on the small of your back, hanamaki pulls you nearer to him. your eyes flutter shut, and your lips press against his. your heart leaps in your chest. the crowd cheers and claps, some of them crying, but you can only focus on how close you and takahiro are.

it’s not the first time you’ve hugged or kissed him, yet your heart beats as quickly as his does. tears stream down your cheeks as you entangle your hands in his hair. he pulls away a moment later, and buries his face in your neck. your shoulder is damp by the time he looks at you in the eye once more.

you cry in relief and joy, and kiss him once more.


End file.
